As the importance of securing AI technology industry competitiveness grows due to the spread of generative AI, the Ministry of Science and ICT has launched the AI Strategy High-Level Council to make all-out efforts to make AI a part of daily life in the public, industrial, and public sectors and to secure AI competitiveness.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on Thursday the 4th that it has launched the 'AI Strategy High-Level Council' (hereinafter referred to as the 'Council'), the highest level of governance for public-private AI. It started with the consensus that organizations that previously existed as public-private consultative bodies for each field should be dealt with as complex issues after the emergence of generative AI.

The AI Strategy High-Level Council was launched with a total of 32 members, including the Minister of Science and ICT and the civilian (Taejae University President Yeom Jae-ho) as co-chairs, 23 top civilian experts representing AI fields such as general policy, AI semiconductors, R&D, law and system, ethics and safety, and talent, and 7 director-level officials from key related ministries such as the Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Education, National Intelligence Service, and Korea Communications Commission.

Under the council, six divisions will be operated using existing field-specific consultative bodies (or some will be newly established). In addition, the 'Ultra-Large AI Promotion Council', consisting of over 100 domestic ultra-large AI companies and small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, will be established as an external private advisory group to collect policy suggestions such as government investment and support for implementing an AI innovation ecosystem, and will be actively utilized as a permanent public-private communication channel.

The AI Strategy High-Level Council will expand infrastructure such as AI talent and AI semiconductors, and preemptively secure future source technologies such as AI R&D, as well as provide policy suggestions and advisory roles for overall safe AI utilization policies such as AI ethics. The contents discussed at the council will be jointly implemented.

In addition, the government reported the 'AI Digital Innovation Growth Strategy' as a public-private joint strategy for AI G3 leap. According to the results of a joint research and analysis with global consulting firm Bain & Company, if Korea successfully introduces AI to the entire economy, including manufacturing and service industries, it is expected that an economic effect of 310 trillion won per year (as of '26) will be created.

The strategy contains core policy tasks and directions for implementation in four areas: innovation, industry, society, and system.

First, we will pursue AI technology innovation that will lead the global market. Our country is a country that possesses competitiveness across the entire AI value chain, from AI and SW to semiconductor technology and production bases and advanced networks. Based on these strengths across the entire value chain, we plan to pursue a global innovation competitive edge by ① conducting large-scale R&D projects to advance AI technology, ② cultivating advanced talents in the AI field, and ③ establishing an AI-Native network to support AI advancement and expansion.

Second, we will accelerate the transformation of AI across all industries to realize an AI dynamic economy. We plan to establish and promote customized AI introduction and expansion strategies that take into account the characteristics of each industrial sector and industry.

Third, we will promote the introduction of AI into the daily lives of the people. With the full-fledged arrival of the AI era in 2024, AI is fully permeating our daily lives, but the AI service experience and adoption rates among the people (51%), companies (28%), and the public (55%) are still insufficient. Accordingly, we plan to promote the '24-year National, Industry, and Public Project' to make AI a daily routine, so that the people can experience its benefits in their daily lives.

Fourth, we will promote the establishment of a new digital order for the full acceptance of digital advancement. Based on the 『Digital Bill of Rights』 established last year, all ministries will work together to create visible results through social public opinion and policy research on key tasks, and we will also lead global discussions at the OECD, UN, etc. In addition, we plan to actively promote digital inclusion policies so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of digital innovation and digital technology can contribute to resolving conflicts and gaps.

Industry experts are evaluating 2024 as a year of competition to create results through full-scale expansion of AI services developed so far. Accordingly, the government plans to invest a total of 710.2 billion won to promote 69 tasks to expand AI in daily life, industrial sites, and government administration so that the people can feel the benefits of AI.

To this end, a total of 75.5 billion won will be invested to promote 18 tasks to spread AI happiness in the people's daily lives. We plan to support the introduction of AI in vulnerable and social welfare areas where public demand is high but difficult for the private sector to handle, such as health and disease management, and care for the disabled and the elderly, as well as support the spread of AI in areas where the public can perceive high benefits of AI and where the private sector is voluntarily introducing AI, such as childcare, education, culture, and housing.

In addition, a total of KRW 288.1 billion will be invested to promote AI convergence and integration in workplaces, including for workers, and 24 tasks will be promoted. We plan to support AI-based innovation of the production environment in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, such as process efficiency and gradual automation, and to quickly promote the discovery and expansion of AI services in private specialized fields where effects can be seen quickly, such as easing service entry barriers such as laws and increasing public usage.

A total of 115.7 billion won will be invested in internalizing AI in public administration to promote 14 tasks. The plan is to promote the use of AI in public administration, such as disaster preparedness for fires and floods and assistance with daily tasks, to support solving social issues, implement a scientific government, and improve the quality and quantity of services to the public.

In order to prepare for the era of living with AI, we are pursuing 13 tasks, including investing a total of KRW 230.9 billion in improving the AI utilization capabilities of the public and expanding safe AI-based infrastructure such as AI ethics. Based on this strategy, the relevant ministries plan to promote the universal adoption of artificial intelligence by 2024.

Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho emphasized, “In the AI era, as the ministry in charge of AI, I have a great sense of responsibility,” and “We will push for follow-up measures with a sense of urgency so that the people and businesses can quickly and surely feel the results.” He added, “I hope that today’s meeting will be a stepping stone to our country taking flight with AI, enriching the lives of our people, and becoming a leading country in the era of AI coexistence that sets an example for the world.”